At 2026 Ofala, Obi of Onitsha says Nigeria’s hardship worsening

… urges South-East voters to shun electoral apathy

The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, Agbogidi, on Friday urged President Bola Tinubu to take urgent steps to address worsening hardship and insecurity in the country.

He also appealed to people of the South-East to overcome electoral apathy and participate actively in the 2027 general election.

Achebe spoke during the 25th Ofala Onitsha festival at his palace in Onitsha, the commercial hub of Anambra State.

The monarch said Nigerians were facing increasingly difficult conditions, stressing that the truth must be told about their plight.

Recalling his 2024 Ofala address, he said the preceding year had been marked by uncertainties following the general election. He lamented that hardship had since deepened, pushing more Nigerians below the poverty line.

“I referred to the World Bank development update on Nigeria that stated that some 104 million people had become classified as poor in 2023. The situation was worsened by unending insecurity in most parts of the country. I then called on the government to make urgent provisions for the poorest in our society,” he said.

Achebe recalled that the leadership of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria visited the president on July 28, 2026, and raised concerns about insecurity and the severe economic difficulties confronting most citizens.

“Unfortunately, some government officials politicised the visit by claiming that the bishops spoke only for their congregation. The officials asserted that all was well in the country. But truth be told, the issues raised transcend political, religious and ethnic partisanship,” he said.

The monarch identified hunger, unemployment, inadequate and inaccessible healthcare, and insecurity as widespread challenges requiring urgent presidential attention.

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On the 2027 general election, Achebe expressed concern that political officeholders were shifting their attention from governance to re-election campaigns, to the detriment of citizens.

“The national elections are barely three months away. Expectedly, the attention of the political class has increasingly turned to political positioning, and away from governance. Democratic elections are opportunities for the electorate to select the candidates that would deliver the best governance,” he said.

He urged non-partisan stakeholders, including traditional and religious institutions, town unions and civil society organisations, to intensify voter education, mobilisation and advocacy for free and fair elections.

“Also, the political parties must abhor violence and engage in healthy, issues-based campaigns to enable the electorate make the right choices,” he said.

Achebe commended aspects of the conduct of the recent Osun State governorship election but urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to improve its performance in the coming general election.

“Except for the reports of violence and intimidation, the recent off-cycle governorship election in Osun State demonstrated robust campaign, massive turnout by voters, and a reasonable performance by the Independent National Electoral Commission,” he said.

“The election has become a marker for the coming national elections and all eyes are on INEC to deliver free and fair outcomes.”

He particularly urged people of the South-East to turn out and vote.

“We cannot stay away from elections and turn around to complain of marginalisation. In democracy, all votes count. Therefore, we must come out and vote for our candidates,” he said.

Speaking on the festival’s theme, “Igba mbo, Iga n’iru: Strive and Advance,” Achebe emphasised the importance of hard work and perseverance.

He said the theme built on those of previous years, including “Better. Together. Stronger.” in 2023, which called for consolidating achievements while preparing for future challenges.

He added that the 2024 theme, “Courage. Perseverance. Self-reliance: Onye kwe, Chi’e ekwe,” reflected the prevailing hardship and offered empathy and encouragement to the people.